This invention relates generally to dispensing systems and, more specifically, to a dispensing system for a xe2x80x9cdosexe2x80x9d type water treatment material and a method for effectively dispensing two different types of water treatment materials one of which is a xe2x80x9cdosexe2x80x9d type water treatment material.
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The concept of delivery of two or more water treatment materials from a single dispersal unit is known in the art as evidenced by Sexton U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,656 and King U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,210,566 and 6,190,547. In general, in these type of systems unless the system is shut off the water treatment materials are continually dispensed into the body of water.
In order to appreciate the present invention one needs to recognize two types of water treatment materials which are herein referred to as xe2x80x9cquick dispensing water treatment materialsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cslow dispensing water treatment materialsxe2x80x9d.
The term xe2x80x9cquick dispensing water treatment materialsxe2x80x9d as used herein refers to water treatment materials that are generally liquid and can effectively be dispensed into a pool spa or other body of water in a matter of a few seconds. These type of materials are also generally referred to as xe2x80x9csingle dosexe2x80x9d materials since they can be emptied into a body of water at once and provide water treatment for a period of days or weeks. Typical examples of such materials are algaecides, oxidizers, conditioners and clarifiers. In general with the quick dispensing water treatment materials it is not necessary to continually deliver the water treatment materials to the body of water since a single application or dose will last for weeks or months. However, for the quick dispensing water treatment materials to be effective the quick dispensing water treatment materials need to be dispersed or diffused throughout the body of water. Sometimes the quick dispensing water treatment materials, which do not need to be dispensed over an extended period of time, are in fact dispensed over and extended period of time in the same manner as the slow dispensing water treatment materials. This effectively limits the amount of water treatment materials that can be supplied to a body of water from a single dispensing unit as well as increases the amount of time for the body of water to achieve effective levels of the quick dispensing water treatment materials since the quick dispensing materials are dispensed at slow rates.
In contrast to the manual delivery system for quick dispensing water treatment materials there are delivery systems for slow dispensing water treatment materials. Examples of delivery systems for slow dispensing water treatment materials are shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,566 titled Nestable Containers and Improved Water Treatment Materials and U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,547 titled Water Treatment System and is hereby incorporated herein by reference. These systems can provide for simultaneously deliver of two slow dispensing water treatment materials.
Although the quick dispensing water treatment materials do not need to be continually dispensed it is important to ensure that the quick dispensing water treatment materials are sufficiently dispersed throughout the body of water. Typically, the diffusion rate for quick dispensing water treatment materials is not sufficiently high so that the quick dispensing water treatment materials can quickly diffuse throughout a large body of water, such as a pool. As a result, even after many days have elapsed there still may be regions or pockets in the pool where the quick dispensing water treatment materials are not at effective concentrations because of insufficient diffusion of the quick dispensing water treatment materials throughout the body of water.
In order to address the problem of inadequate diffusion, the quick dispensing water treatment materials generally require some intermediate dispensing action to obtain a rapid and effective concentration of quick dispensing water treatment materials throughout the body of water. One prior art procedure used by pool owners is to mix the quick dispensing water treatment materials in a bucket of water. The water in the bucket which typically can contain on the order of one to 5 gallons of water, and the quick dispensing water treatment materials are stirred together to disperse the quick dispensing water treatment materials throughout the water in the bucket. The bucket, with the mixture, is then emptied around the sides of the pool to allow the quick dispensing water treatment materials to diffuse from multiple sites around the pool.
Another method of dispensing a liquid algaecide is shown in Sexton U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,656. Sexton uses two separate containers one for solid chlorine tablets and the other for a liquid algaecide. The liquid algaecide is held in a plastic bag within an outer container. The liquid algaecide is prevented from flowing out of the plastic bag by a porous filter located on the plastic bag. The top of Sexton""s outer container contains openings to allow air to enter the outer container. By increasing the pressure on the inside of the container the liquid algaecide is squeezed out of the plastic bag and allowed to enter the stream of water flowing though his valve. Once the bag containing the liquid algaecide is empty it is replaced with a new filled container. Thus while Sexton continually and simultaneously delivers both a normally quick dispensing water treatment material and a slow dispensing water treatment material he does not deliver material in dose form for materials that only need to be applied on a weekly or monthly basis.
In contrast, the present invention permits a quick dispensing water treatment material to be dispensed into the body of water usually in a matter of minutes or hours while the slow dispensing water treatment material is dispensed over an extended period of time of weeks. Once the pool is xe2x80x9cdosedxe2x80x9d the container for the quick dispensing water treatment material can be removed from the dispensing unit and replaced with a different type of quick dispensing water treatment material, for example a clarifier which can also be dispensed in a matter of minutes. Consequently, a single dispersal member can be used to dispense two or more different water treatment materials with both xe2x80x9cdosesxe2x80x9d of quick dispensing water treatment material being first dispensed into the body of water by the stream of water and secondly the quick dispensing water treatment material once dispersed allowed to quickly diffuse throughout the body of water.
A feature of the present invention is that it eliminates the consumer having to measure ingredients every week and then manually dose the swimming pool.
A further feather of the present invention is that there is a more thorough and rapid dispersal of the water treatment material throughout the pool by the use of the fluid stream to carry the water treatment material. This in turn allows for more rapid diffusion of the water treatment materials throughout the body of water, consequently the body of water more quickly obtains the proper treated condition with the present invention.
Briefly, the invention comprise an apparatus and method for delivering either or both quick dispensing water treatment materials and slow dispensing water treatment materials from the same dispensing unit by dispensing the slow dispensing water treatment materials over an extended period of time and the quick dispensing water treatment materials in a matter of minutes and if desired, to allow the container for the quick dispensing water treatment materials to be removed and replaced with either a container containing a different quick dispensing water treatment materials or a container containing a slow dispensing water treatment material.